


S is for South Korea

by Rose_of_Pollux



Series: Around the World in 26 Days [19]
Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-25
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-11-18 23:56:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11301474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rose_of_Pollux/pseuds/Rose_of_Pollux
Summary: In which a mission brings back memories of the war that Napoleon would rather forget.





	S is for South Korea

It wasn’t like Napoleon to disappear and ruminate in solitude—that was usually Illya’s job. And so, when during some downtime on a mission in Uijeongbu, South Korea, Napoleon had secluded himself in their hotel room, skipping out on lunch.

This didn’t sit well with Illya at all who, despite his own empty stomach, took the food to go and returned to the room, concerned to see Napoleon lying on the bed, staring aimlessly at the ceiling.

“Napoleon? Are you ill?”

He finally seemed to come out of his trance and looked to Illya.

“No,” he sighed. “…This is the first mission I’ve had in Korea while with U.N.C.L.E., and it’s bringing back a lot of memories I’d rather forget.”

Illya placed the food on the dresser and sat beside Napoleon.

“Do you wish to talk about it?”

Napoleon shut his eyes for a moment.

“It’s when I was drafted and forced to come here to fight…” he said. “You’re in the Russian Navy, right?”

“I was; I resigned my commission, remember?”

“Lucky. Did you ever see combat?”

“ _Nyet_ ; I was in intelligence, and our tasks were rarely in combat—mine certainly were not,” Illya said. “I cannot begin to imagine the things you have seen.”

“A lot of the soldiers, even on the other side, were forced to be there, like us. They didn’t want to fight, but they had to—and I was expected to be shooting at them just because they were different from us. It’s not like they were THRUSHies with malicious intent; they were people, Illya. I’m telling you, getting appendicitis was the best thing that could have happened to me.”

“That was when you met Mark?”

“Yeah. I was taken to a unit for treatment. The doctor who operated on me said he agreed with me completely—he was as fed up with the war as I was. He even arranged visits by the chaplain when I was in recovery so that I could vent my frustrations to him. Mark happened to be there one day, and I guess he overheard me talking to the chaplain. And that was when I found out about U.N.C.L.E. and I knew what I wanted to do with my life.”

Illya managed a smile.

“You are a kind and caring person, Napoleon. It is clear to anyone that the life of a solider was not for you.”

“I hated every moment of it, and yet, if I hadn’t come here and gotten sent to that medical unit, I would never have found out about U.N.C.L.E., and that’s what’s driving me crazy. Where I am now is all because of that.”

“Napoleon, you are so very passionate about this work; it is truly what fits you best. Something like that, I am sure you would have found your way to regardless of the circumstances. You found the quickest way, perhaps. But you would have found your way here through other means. Who knows, perhaps it would have been me recruiting you.”

Napoleon smiled at the thought.

“Then _you_ would have been the senior agent…”

“ _Da_ , I know…”

Napoleon’s smile widened, in spite of himself.

“You know what? I think I’m hungry. How about we eat?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” Illya exclaimed, grabbing the food he had set aside.

The memories were still unpleasant. But Napoleon knew it had it good now—and he would enjoy every moment of it that he could.


End file.
